


One of a Kind

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Ben Builds BB-8 [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Snoke, BB-8 Backstory, Ben Solo Built BB-8, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Evil Snoke, Fluffy beginning, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jedi Ben Solo, Kylo Ren Angst, Kylo Ren Backstory, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, M/M, Mechanic Ben Solo, Movie: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, No Underage Sex, POV Kylo Ren, Pilot Poe Dameron, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rating May Change, Sad Kylo Ren, Snoke Being a Dick, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Torture, Tortured Kylo Ren, Warnings May Change, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-08 09:41:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15927806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: What if Ben was the one who built BB-8?





	1. A Friend In Orange And White

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Dedicated to all the people who took the Ben-built-BB-8 theory and decided to give it a Poe-bashing twist. I’m taking it back.

Poe’s nineteenth Naming Day was coming up, and Ben knew he needed a present for his friend. For someone who was everything to him, in more ways than one, even if he didn’t know it. Poe needed a friend on his missions now that he was in the New Republic Navy, and Ben would give him that. 

A friend. Poe was fond of droids, Ben knew that much. If he could build a droid for Poe, it didn’t matter the amount of time and effort and spent credits in order to get the project together. What mattered would be the look on Poe’s face, the look of irrepressible joy that Ben loved seeing.

That was the problem, wasn’t it? Ben was in love. And Poe didn’t know — but Ben could give Poe everything, be the reason for that incandescent smile...

He could. 

He hoped. 

***

Building the droid for Poe wasn’t something a sixteen year old could just do. There was a lot of designing involved, and writing (and Ben supposed that was one of the benefits of having that calligraphy set; he could take notes on what he wanted the droid to look like, be like, and plenty more), and purchasing parts, and finding ways so it didn’t interfere with Ben’s Jedi training. (Not that he liked it, but he was still a Padawan, and he had no other choice) Even putting the droid together, he patted it, almost like it was a real living droid and not just a work-in-progress. 

“Hey, buddy,” he said to the project one night when he was up applying the paint to it (he doubted he could sleep anyway; it was like the nightmares kept getting worse). “I’m your creator. How are you?”

Works-in-progress couldn’t answer back, of course, but Ben could imagine some cheerful beeps coming from the droid, irrepressible, energetic. 

“You’re almost done,” Ben said softly. “I just need to introduce you to Poe. You’re gonna love him, you really are. He’s a good man. He’s kind, he’s funny, he always sees the best in others and treats them like equals...”

And of course, he could entertain some ideas about Poe. Ben was sixteen and Poe was nearly nineteen, and they couldn’t date (and Poe probably still saw him as just a kid), but Ben could imagine quite a bit, could imagine them cloud-gazing, and holding hands, and just being happy together, like they should be. 

Ben painted the droid, carefully adding details. He knew that Poe liked orange, among other colors, and it made sense — Poe deserved a bright, cheerful droid, like him. Orange and white, one of a kind. Eventually, the droid was done, and Ben sat back to look at his handiwork. A bit of fine-tuning and the droid would be perfect. 

And the droid needed a name. Even looking at the droid’s shape, Ben couldn’t help but think of figure-eights, of round things. 

“8,” he said. “How about BB-8?”

The droid beeped all of a sudden, cheerfully, and Ben smiled. “Hi, BB-8,” he said. “I’m your creator. Welcome to the galaxy.”

***

When it was Ben’s turn to give Poe his present, he couldn’t help but be more than slightly nervous — what if he messed this up? What if Poe — impossibly, considering how cheerful BB-8 was — hated BB-8, and hated Ben? Even as Ben shifted the box to Poe, his heart skipped a beat as Poe gently opened the box, revealing BB-8. 

“Ben.” Poe looked up at him, amazed. “Did you...how did you get that?”

”I built it,” Ben said. “I thought you’d need a friend, on your missions.”

Poe’s face broke into a smile that made him, in Ben’s opinion, even more beautiful. “Ben...thank you. Really. The droid’s beautiful.”

”It’s a he,” Ben said. “His name’s BB-8.”

BB-8 beeped inquisitively, craning his neck to look up at Poe. Poe squatted down, patted the droid’s dome. “Hey, buddy,” he said. “I’m Poe. Poe Dameron. It’s good to meet you.” 

BB-8 beeped cheerfully, and Ben knew, in that moment, that Poe and BB-8 would get along just fine. 


	2. Ruthless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven years after the fall of the Jedi Temple, Kylo Ren is sent to Jakku.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Special thanks to MidgardianNerd for her help with this chapter!

It was thirteen years later that Kylo Ren stood in the antechamber of Starkiller Base, masked and cloaked, a far cry from the gentle, awkward young boy who had built an orange and white BB unit. He looked into the face of Supreme Leader Snoke, who looked above him, almost god-like in nature. There was always something about the Supreme Leader that inspired awe. Now was no exception, actually. 

“My loyal apprentice,” Snoke said, his voice a low rumble. “You know full well why I called you here, don’t you? We’re ever closer to finding the last piece of the map to Skywalker.” 

Kylo Ren merely said, “Yes.”

”According to First Order intelligence, the map is in the hands of Lor San Tekka — but he is not alone. Meeting with him is your love,” and here, Snoke said the word “love” disdainfully, “Poe Dameron.”

It felt like all the air had been drained from his lungs. “He is...nothing to me.”  _He is everything to me, more than he knows._

Snoke smiled, and from an outsider’s point of view, it would look almost kind, almost fatherly. Those who looked closer would see something twisted in it, even if they didn’t see the twisted mind that lay behind Snoke’s eyes. 

“We shall see.”

Snoke’s hologram faded out, and Kylo Ren was left alone in the antechamber, looking up at where it used to be. Now that he thought about it, it was like old memories were coming back, including of the night that Ben Solo (that weak boy) had left...

_He made his way to Poe’s house, and he knew already that he smelled of smoke and ash. It clung to his clothes, and he wondered if Poe would notice. If Poe would realize what he’d done. It wasn’t like he wanted to. And yet here he was, having stumbled out of the Academy towards Poe’s house, probably having the evidence of his crimes all but clinging to him like the smell of smoke and ash._

_Poe opened the door, and hugged him, and Ben wanted to cry in that moment. He didn’t, but stars, he wanted to. He wanted to cry until he was all but exhausted. He buried his face in Poe’s shoulder, even as Poe murmured against his chest, and BB-8 wheeled out near them just to see what was going on._

_Eventually, Ben drew away, and he said, “Poe...I have to leave.”_

_”What? Why?”_

_”My uncle tried to kill me,” Ben said, and Poe stiffened in shock; it was clear he hadn’t seen that coming. “And I’m not safe here. There’ll be others, numerous others, who’ll come to get me. It doesn’t matter that I defended myself. They’ll still want me dead.”_

_Poe wet his lips. “Come with me,” he said. “We could go to the Outer Rim together. Somewhere where no one can find us.”_

_The thought was wonderful. And yet, Ben knew it wasn’t to be. “I don’t want you in danger because of me.”_

_”You’re worth everything, Ben. Always.”_

_Ben nodded. “Poe,” he said, “No matter what happens, you’re always going to be my dearest friend.” He couldn’t quite say “I love you”. Maybe it didn’t need to be said. Maybe in the end it would do more harm than good._

_”Always, Ben.”_

_Ben hugged him, and withdrew. BB-8 butted up against their legs, and Ben looked at Poe for a while. “You’ll do amazing things,” he said. “Far more amazing than I’ve ever done.”_

_”Ben — ’’_

_”You will. I promise.” He turned towards BB-8, squatted next to him. BB-8 dwooed softly, and Ben said, “Take care of Poe. Stars knows he needs it.”_

_BB-8 beeped._

_“And you may see me again.” Ben swallowed. “Somehow.”_

Kylo Ren squeezed his eyes shut behind the mask. He had never cried ever since that awful night — it was like his breakdown in the shuttle was one last cry — but he was about to. Damn that memory. It seemed that Poe would see him again, just in a different guise. 

He couldn’t afford to think about it. It had been eleven years since he’d left. Over a decade. The less he thought about it, the better. 

The less he felt, the better. 

Kylo Ren walked outside, gave instructions to officers to prepare his shuttle. It was time to head to Jakku. 


	3. Private Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo speaks with Snoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Honestly, Snoke should be a warning for this chapter in and of itself.

“You captured Poe Dameron?”

In Kylo’s quarters on the Finalizer, Snoke practically filled the room. 

“Yes.” Kylo tried not to think about that look that Poe had given him, that look of heated defiance. The...feelings that it brought up. He tried not to think about the implications of torturing him — because that’s what it was, torture. Kylo Ren took no pleasure in things like this; they were more of a dirty necessity than anything else. War time was war time, and if his specific set of skills came in useful...

”Excellent. You did well,” Snoke said. 

Kylo tried not to think about who he had left Poe with. The stormtroopers, no doubt, who would not be gentle with Poe. Hux, for that matter...

Snoke spoke. “You hesitate?”

”Far from it. I only wonder — ’’

Snoke raised his hand, and Kylo felt like his whole body was awash in white hot fire. Currents of electricity all but coursing through his body, even as Kylo gritted his teeth to suppress a scream. 

“As long as Skywalker’s still out there,” Snoke said, “The seed of the Jedi Order still lives. It is our duty to snuff it out, our duty to extinguish it. Or do you lack the stomach to do so?”

Eventually, the lightning eased off, and Kylo’s entire body was aching from the onslaught. He looked up at Snoke, and despite himself, he already thought about ending Snoke. Taking his lightsaber and just driving it through his shriveled excuse for a heart —

“You will do what needs to be done,” Snoke said. The weight of the Force was not in it, but Kylo knew that resisting was far from effective. “If not...perhaps Hux could do it? He certainly has more of a spine.”

Even thinking of what Hux would do to Poe...Kylo could not imagine. 

"I won’t...fail you, Supreme Leader.” Inside, though, Kylo hated him, hated him with a sort of seething red that he thought was mostly reserved for his wretched uncle. 

“Excellent,” Snoke said. “Report back to me when you’re done.”

”I shall, Supreme Leader.”

Even as Snoke’s hologram flickered out, Kylo...how Kylo wished the creature was dead.


End file.
